“Jewish education” is usually associated with lively and excited bright-eyed youth preparing for their Bar or Bat Mitzva. “Teaching a child is like writing on fresh new paper” (Ethics of our Fathers 4:20)

But are we abandoning the other end of the life? Don’t we need to also address the spiritual and social needs of our elderly? This question gains urgency as the Baby Boomers approach retirement and medical advances lead to a larger older population.

A century ago, elders were cared for by extended family, surrounded by young ones looking for a loving lap and stories of the good old days. Unfortunately, the career families of today’s mobile society make the caring and connection less likely. Isolated retirees wonder how to fill their time meaningfully as their supposedly “golden years” become an endless vacuum.

On his 70th and 80th birthdays the Lubavitcher Rebbe urged active involvement in senior Jewish enrichment. Calling it “Tiferes Zekenim” ‘the beauty of old age’ the Rebbe emphasized that instead of withering away unprouctively, seniors can be a spiritual resource. Instead of frivolously whiling while away hours and days, this time of life is a golden opportunity to learn and grow. Education is a life-long endeavor. Torah Study will transform them from has-beens to beacons of light for their families and communities.”

Wheelchairs and walkers welcome!
While the Jewish community focuses on preschools, family programming and Executive Lunch & Learns for those in the prime of their life, some Chabad rabbis are working to enrich elderly persons with caring, warmth and vitality. Their to-do list may differ - instead of procuring toys as prizes for the best student, they are arranging handicapped transportation. Rather than consulting with a parent about the right grade level for a child, they may be consulting with a middle-aged child with parent in a nursing home about life-support issues. But the underlying philosophy is the same- the preciousness of each individual Jew, and helping each maximize their Jewish experience with loving support and learning at their level.

Senior Simcha
Rabbi Menachem and Devorah Leah Smith of Miami have built a dynamic organization serving elderly residents as well as the senior snowbirds from up north. “United Jewish Generations brings joy and spirituality to seniors,” explains Rabbi Smith. “We work with people of all stages, from those just retiring to residents at assisted living facilities and nursing homes. We provide exciting Jewish programs and Torah lectures to 65 facilities, many of which never had anything Jewish before we came around. We also offer many other services and projects not only to Assisted Living facilities but also to those living at their own homes such as breakfast and learn club, visitations, pastoral counseling and challah & hamantashen baking.”

United Jewish Generations has had a wonderful response for their latest events for home based seniors. They hosted between 100-500 seniors at shows featuring Jewish Catskill style comedy, Yiddish & Chassidic music and a Grand Purim Festival.

Before the holidays the Smiths go into high gear. Crazy clowns, live music, and Purim stories & songs, entertained the delighted recipients of over 600 Shalach Manos goodie packages. They held 50-60 Chanukah programs and built 30 sukkahs in area facilities. Another very successful programs is their “Adopt a Bubby” program under Devorah Leah’s creative leadership. High school girls adopt an elderly woman and create a long-term relationship through regular visits, calls and activities such as biography writing, jewelry making, packing Purim baskets and cooking kreplach.

The Smiths also enrich their clients with a 25-page quarterly of high quality, large print reading. “Our magazine features articles, interviews, Jewish jokes, crossword, ‘Who wants to be a Jewish millionaire’ brain teasers, health, candle lighting and holiday information.”

Further north, in Ohio, Rabbi Yaakov Karp’s JEEP- Jewish Education for Every Person is dedicated to supporting Jews whose limitations keep them from the usual circle of community activities; including children with learning issues, special needs adults and children, and seniors in disparate facilities in the greater Cincinnati area.

“Our community is small,” Rabbi Karp explains. “Some are in facilities where they may be the only Jew. They feel lonely, especially in December. They are thrilled to be visited, get holiday mitzvos and foods, Shabbos flowers and mezuzot. JEEP enriches their lives with learning, activities or just friendship.”

In Palm Springs, California, Rabbi Yankel Kreiman spearheads activities for the elderly, sick, homebound and shut-ins. Under the auspices of his Bikur Cholim organization, there are Shabbat Programs every Friday at six assisted living and rehab facilities bringing joy to the residents in the Desert area by singing Shalom Aleichem, lighting Shabbat candles, making kiddush, and serving Challa and gefilte fish. Everyone looks forward to spending a few moments with the Rabbi.

Rabbi Kreiman shares his love and the holiday spirit. People often get emotional and say, “The last time I sat in a Succah was with my Zaide in the Bronx.” Another reminisced, “the last time I ate round shmurah matzah was with my Bubbie in Chicago.” An elder gentleman put on tefilin and says, “the last time was at my Bar Mitzva 70 years ago.”

“Baruch Hashem,” Rabbi Kreiman beams, “we enable some to put tefilin on for the very first time.”
Rabbi Kreiman and his team visit hospitals and nursing homes, and make special “mishabeirach” prayers for their recovery. Several nursing homes have story hour with the Rabbi when he tells inspiring stories and teaches songs and prayers.

“People think I work for Bikur Cholim,” says Rabbi Kreiman, “but really Bikur Cholim works for me. I anticipate seeing my friends and gain from hearing their personal histories.”

Rabbis Karp, Kreiman and Smith find the Jewish connection to be very therapeutic in eliciting fond memories, leading to greater communication for withdrawn Alzheimer patients. “During Chanukah, our menorah-topped JEEP-mobile brought seniors hot latkes and menorah lightings. Seniors with dementia cried with joy and a rush of warm childhood memories, surprising family and facility staff with their recitation of the blessing and Chanukah songs.”

Before Pesach, the rabbis’ cars were transformed into seders on wheels, loaded down with grape juice, matzah, maror and the seder plate foods. They conducted model seders at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Some seniors even rolled up their sleeves to work in a model matzah bakery. The familiar foods, songs and rituals brought back long forgotten good memories.

Precious souls
Do Karp and Smith find their work depressing by spending the day among the infirm, weaving through wheelchairs and canes? They gain strength from their focus on the soul inside the aging body. The fuel for their work is Judaism’s emphasis on the preciousness of every person. “No one can measure the value of the lighting of a Chanukah candle or the Sh’ma Yisrael of a senior or disabled person. I’ve seen dramatic emotional and intellectual breakthroughs when people get a chance to express their identity,” Rabbi Karp affirms.